Many types of covered barbecue grills are provided with a glass viewing window in the top or hood portion thereof through which the chef can observe the food being cooked. Such windows are made from tempered or heat-treated glass so as to withstand the extreme temperatures generated during use of the grill.
Viewing windows provide superior performance relative to other types of grills when cooking food on a barbecue grill due to the fact that the chef can better determine when to turn the food over, when to move food to a cooler or hotter area of the cooking grate, when to adjust the shuttering effect provided by a device such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,746, having the same assignee as the present invention, for an Adjustable Shutter Grate for Barbecue Grills, as well as other advantages. One advantage that such windows have not provided, to our knowledge, is the ability to fully open the window to adjust the position of food, to add or remove items from the cooking grate or from a secondary cooking surface such as a warming rack, and to more easily clean the window.
One reference which shows a movable window is U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,364 to Dailey for a Grill with View/Vent Window. As the title implies, this reference shows a viewing window-hinged at its bottom edge to the grill hood. The window pivots slightly outwardly from the hood, creating an opening at the top of the window for providing a chimney or draft effect in an effort to adjust grill temperature and thus, cooking time. No access to the food is provided; however, thus leaving unfulfilled the need in the art for such an advantage.